Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements

Graduation from Anchor Christian University (ACU) is the formal conferral of a certificate or degree after the University verifies that all published academic, administrative, and financial requirements have been met for the student’s program and catalog year. Students should review these requirements regularly with the Registrar and their program advisor.

Scope

This policy applies to undergraduate certificates, associate degrees, including the Associate of Science (AS), bachelor’s degrees, and master’s degrees. Programs may establish additional requirements. Where a published program requirement exceeds the institutional minimum, the program requirement governs.

Key Terms

• Residency: Credits earned through ACU coursework that satisfy the minimum institutional credit requirement for an ACU credential. Residency refers to academic credit, not physical attendance at a campus.

• Earned credit: Credits successfully completed and awarded toward the program, including accepted transfer credit.

• Attempted credit: Credits in which a student remains enrolled after the add/drop period, including withdrawals and incompletes until resolved.

• Cumulative ACU GPA: The grade point average calculated from ACU GPA-bearing coursework. Transfer credit does not affect the ACU GPA.

• Program completion: Completion of all credits, courses, and required assessments listed in the student’s catalog-year program plan, including any required capstone, practicum, or other culminating experience.

Requirements for Conferral

To qualify for a certificate or degree, a student must:

1. Complete the total credits and required courses published in the applicable Program of Study for the student’s catalog year.

2. Complete all applicable Arts & Sciences, major, specialization, concentration, elective, and upper-division requirements specified in the program plan.

3. Meet the minimum cumulative ACU GPA and any program-specific GPA or minimum course-grade requirements.

4. Satisfy the minimum ACU residency requirement.

5. Complete all required capstones, practica, field experiences, and culminating assessments, where applicable.

6. Resolve incomplete grades and outstanding holds and meet the University’s applicable requirements for conferral.

7. Complete the graduation application and administrative clearance process.

Minimum Cumulative GPA

Unless a program requires a higher GPA, students must achieve the following minimum cumulative ACU GPA:

Meeting the cumulative GPA requirement does not waive a program’s minimum grade requirements for individual courses.

ACU Residency and Prior Learning

Students must satisfy the credential-specific ACU residency requirement and transfer/prior-learning limits in Transfer Credit & Prior Learning. Program-specific requirements may be stricter.

Students must submit transfer and prior learning petitions and supporting documentation by the deadlines published by the Registrar. Required documentation may include official transcripts, course syllabi, and portfolio materials. All credit evaluations needed for graduation must be completed before conferral.

Applying for Graduation

Students must submit an Application for Graduation by the deadline published each term by the Registrar. The University will complete a degree audit and communicate any remaining requirements to the student in writing.

Students remain responsible for completing all requirements identified in the applicable program plan and graduation audit.

Administrative Clearance

Before conferral, students must:

• Ensure that official transcripts from external institutions used for transfer evaluation are on file.

• Resolve outstanding student account balances for financial clearance.

• Resolve outstanding administrative holds.

• Complete required exit surveys and any applicable program checkout requirements.

Conferral Date

The University confers credentials on the official conferral date for the term after final grades are posted and all requirements have been verified. The conferral date is recorded as the degree or certificate award date on the official transcript.

Diplomas and Commencement

Participation in commencement, if offered, does not constitute or guarantee conferral. A credential is awarded only after the University verifies completion of all requirements.

Diplomas are issued after conferral. The official transcript identifies the credential awarded and its conferral date.

Academic Honors

ACU awards institutional academic honors for undergraduate and graduate degree programs based on the cumulative ACU GPA:

Transferability and Professional Eligibility

Transfer decisions are made by the receiving institution. See Transferring ACU Credit to Other Institutions.

Program completion does not guarantee eligibility for professional licensure, certification, employment, or placement. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and employer. Students are responsible for verifying the requirements applicable to their intended professional activities and location.

Contact

Registrar’s Office
Email: registrar@anchoru.com
Phone: (561) 510-1812